Have you heard of oil cleansing? Perhaps you have and thought it sounded crazy. Or maybe you felt intrigued, but not convinced. The truth is, while oil cleansing might be a little exotic, it is actually becoming more and more mainstream as skincare enthusiasts everywhere discover the bountiful benefits of this age old practice for their skin. If you’ve never tried it, thought it would make you break out or that nothing could possibly replace your favorite cleanser, read on! We’re going to break down the ins and outs of oil cleansing for you, so you can make the best decision for your skin. In a nutshell, oil cleansing is when you use a carrier oil, such as jojoba, to...

Many of us have been taught to keep oils off of our skin. We’ve been told that we’ll break out, look shiny and slick, and that what our skin actually needs is less oil in order to look and feel its best. While it’s a convincing argument--that more oil begets even more oil which creates clogged pores which creates blemishes--it’s actually not an accurate argument. With the right oils, your skin can actually improve tremendously. The key is to make sure you’re using the right ones. The reason that using certain oils on your skin is actually beneficial is because your skin is covered by a very thin lipid layer known as the acid mantle. Think of it as your...

While the sun isn’t bad for you, too much of it can be damaging to your skin. Leathery skin texture, sun burn, extra wrinkles and in extreme cases, skin cancer can all develop from too much sun exposure. But as long as you stay within the amount of sun time that you know works for your skin, the sun can actually be a nourishing and productive addition to your self and skincare routine. But what about when you want to be out in the sun for longer periods of time? And do you always need to wear sunscreen or a hat? Luckily, there are things you can do to help your skin deal with the sun, regardless of sunscreen or...

If you’ve heard of essential oils then you’ve probably heard of aromatherapy, where the smells from the oils impart therapeutic effects to the mind and body. Perhaps you’ve even used essential oils for aromatherapeutic purposes already. There are so many essential oils out there, and virtually all of them have aromatherapeutic benefits. But if there’s so many, how do you know which ones to use? Or, if you’re just starting out, which oils are the best to begin with? Lavender: Lavender essential oil is a fantastic essential oil for beginners and advanced users alike. It’s very gentle and using it on children is great for helping them to calm down during temper tantrums and to fall asleep when they’re too...

We’ll come out and say it: raw shea butter is one of the best moisturizers on the planet. And that’s not just our ego talking! Maybe we’re biased, but does it really count as bias when it’s backed by science and real life, tangible results? Here’s the thing: there are a lot of fantastic lipid based plant moisturizers out there. Oils like coconut and Jojoba, butters like cocoa and even certain hydrating essential oils like rose. If you use any of these on your skin, you’re doing the right thing, and no doubt you can see the results. But shea butter is unique when it comes to plant based moisturizers. Here’s why: Shea butter does more than just moisturize the...